Radio frequency identification (RFID) transponders are widely used for labeling objects, to establish person's identities and to recognize objects provided with radio frequency identification (RFID) transponders. Basically, radio frequency identification (RFID) transponders include an electronic circuit with data storage capacity and a radio frequency (RF) interface and high frequency (HF) interface, respectively, which couples an antenna to the electronic circuit. The radio frequency identification (RFID) transponders are typically accommodated in small containers. Depending on the requirements made on the deployment of the radio frequency identification (RFID) transponders (i.e. the data transmission rate, energy of the interrogation, transmission range etc.) different types are provided for data provision and transmission on different radio frequencies, for example within a range from several 10-100 kHz to some GHz, respectively, (e.g. 134 kHz, 13, 56 MHz, 860-928 MHz etc; only for illustration).
Two main classes of radio frequency identification (RFID) transponders can be distinguished, i.e. active and passive transponders. Passive radio frequency identification (RFID) transponders are activated by radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder readers generating an interrogation signal, for example a radio frequency (RF) signal at a certain frequency. Active radio frequency identification (RFID) transponders comprise their own power supplies such as batteries or accumulators for energizing.
Payment and ticket applications are considered as one of the most important emerging usage areas that will leverage in radio frequency identification (RFID) technology. For instance, a portable terminal such as a mobile phone implementing a radio frequency identification (RFID) transponder may be utilized to provide/present a digitally coded or electronic ticket, which has been obtained before, to a ticket checkpoint system of an entrance of a public transportation system. The digitally coded ticket is read out by corresponding radio frequency identification (RFID) reader, with which the checkpoint system is equipped, and is analyzed thereby. In case of validity of the digitally coded ticket the access to the public transportation system is granted to the owner of the portable terminal. The digitally coded tickets are not necessarily only a piece of code. They may also include authentication information, such as for instance in case of 30 travel tickets, wherein the actual purchase of a ticket may need to be included in the ticketing application, so that an inspector notices that the person has actually purchased those tickets.
Advantageously, such a ticket checkpoint system may be available for public transportation systems in various cities, which may result in the requirement for coding different digitally coded tickets. Moreover the illustrated ticket checkpoint system may be extended to similar digitally coded records such as credit card information, loyalty card information, cinema tickets and the like, where the portable terminal performs information exchange with the very same equipment, e.g. point-of-sale equipment. The same applications may be realized by using visual codes presented by a visual encoding means and a visual scanning means allowing for reading-out the visual codes from the visual encoding means.
In combination with the above-mentioned technology the usage of smartcards is steadily growing. Modern smartcards provide application developer with a secure and tamperproof environment for developing high value, secure and complex applications. Said smartcards include a central processing unit as well as secure memory areas making unwanted access by third parties very difficult. Further, cryptographic means are provided within the smartcard, which opens the deployment of smartcards for secure applications like banking or even personal identification applications.
Usually, smart cards create a secure environment for storing items of monetary value while the contactless feature is fast and convenient for users who only need to bring the card in close proximity to a card reader. These types of contactless cards do not require a Personal Identification Number (PIN) and are therefore suited for high-volume, low-value transactions. Users of the card can load value onto the card by using an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) or a kiosk to transfer money from a checking account, savings account, a credit card account or by inserting cash into the ATM. The user puts their ATM card or cash into the machine and positions a contactless card near the contactless reader/writer to complete the transfer of money. These ATMs are typically located at the entrance to the transit station where the customers purchase transit tokens. The popularity of contactless cards for transit has grown so that other vendors in area surrounding the transit system also accept the contactless card for payment for purchases such as parking, fast food, convenience stores, gas stations and vending machines. Many merchants are installing contactless smart card reader/writers in their stores to provide the ability to accept smart cards as a form of payment. It shall be appreciated that the above-mentioned embodiments regarding smartcards are only given to explain possible deployments of smartcards without any limiting intention. It is also imaginable that smartcards may be used in connection with credit card and debit transactions with dynamic value, for instance.
The idea of adding a smartcard into a mobile phone or a user device in combination with a contactless reader/writer is well known in the state of the art, but there is a need for providing the user with controlling means for said smartcard and also with means for controlling said contactless device. Actual embodiments of smartcard phones or mobile phones having a smartcard module respectively does not provide the user with a full control interface, so that fraudulent or undesired behavior can not be prohibited or noticed by a user of said phone.